Belle the Sleeping car
by 4RAINYNITE
Summary: Rusty goes to see his old friend, Belle the Sleeping Car, and remembers all the things she has done for others and him.


Hey everyone, this is my first STARLIGHT EXPRESS fanfic. I wanted to focus on the Rusty missing the character Belle,because nobody knows about her because after the Broadway show and the revision of the show she was cut out complete. I don't think that was a good idea, because she was such an awesome charcter, and I hope she comes back on stage one day. Till then, hope ypu enjoy the fic.

* * *

><p>Starlight Express Belle the Sleeping Car<p>

"Hi Belle, it's been a while hasn't it?"

No answer was heard except for the sound of the wind blowing through the grass.

"We really miss you Belle, and I mean everyone."

Still no answer.

"Belle I never told you how grateful I'm to have met you. You were like a mother to me and to everyone back home. Without you I wouldn't have the courage to race during heat 2, I wouldn't have raced as Poppa's replacement if you didn't stand by me, Dinah would have never gotten over Greaseball if you never told her that she could find someone better and was stronger than him, C.B. would've- well he's still a psycho but he's half a psycho thanks to you and Dinah. And Poppa-" The voice stopped he found himself unable to finish.

"You knew Poppa longer than me, after what happened to you he was devastated...What I'm trying to say is... We love you Bella and after your death*GULP* we may have gone on with our lives but your not in it, we really miss you Bella."

"Rusty?"

A voice from behind surprised him he turned around to see Poppa and Pearl.

"Poppa, Pearl, what are you two doing here?" Rusty asked.

"We knew you would be here." Pearl said trying to avoid the look in Rusty's eyes he looked like he was in so much pain.

"Rusty-"Poppa said "I know how much Belle meant to you, she meant a lot to all of us."

Rusty was about to say something but Poppa cut him off.

"Just because Belle isn't with us anymore, doesn't mean that she is gone forever."

Both Rusty and Pearl looked up at Poppa.

"How is that so?" Rusty asked.

"Just remember her Rusty, all that she has done, she's still around us even to this day. All we have to do is remember her through our hearts." Poppa said.

"How do we do that then Poppa?" Pearl asked unsure of what he meant.

He just smiled and said."Remember the time C.B. was helping Dinah cook some steaks at the diner and caught the oven on fire?"

* * *

><p>FLASHBACK<p>

"Would someone please explain to me HOW THE HECK DID THIS HAPPENED?" Rusty shouted as he held the fire extinguisher trying to get rid of the fire.

"How the heck should I know? C.B. and I just making some steaks and the oven caught on fire." Dinah answered.

*BAM*

The kitchen door was kicked open with Bella holding a fire extinguisher helping the three calm the fire down til it was no more.

"Thanks Bella." Rusty said brushing off the sweat from his eyebrows from the fire.

"Is everyone alright?" Dinah asked.

"Don't worry we got everyone out safe and sound, so our best bet is that they all went home." Belle answered.

"Thank goodness." Dinah said.

"Now how did this oven catch on fire anyway?" Belle said as she skated over to the machine to examine it. As soon as she opened the oven, a explosion of smoke covered the four.

*COUGH*COUGH*COUGH*

Whatever was inside the oven was now nothing was dust.

"Well that explains it somethig was inside that caught it on fire." Belle said.

"You see it was an accident-." C.B. panicked.

"You mean to tell me this was all your fault." Rusty said as if he was about to kill C.B.

"Rusty wait, I'm sure there's a reason why whatever C.B. put in the oven caught on fire." Dinah said as she came in-between the two males.

"Okay let me think." C.B. said trying to remember the last time he was at the oven. "Now I remember, me and Dinah were in the kitchen filling out orders, then a mountain load came in."

Flashback in a Flashback

"Dinah we need 3 Adam and Eves on a raft,8 checkeredboards,6 bun pups, and 11 Joes." A waitress said giving Dinah the list.

"Be there in a sec I need to finish these other orders." Dinah said as she was trying to fill out her orders. It wasn't that Dinah was the only one who cooked it was just once people tried her food the next time they came they wanted their previous chef to cook again.

"Table five your drop two and swamp water is done. Table 27 your hope balls and frog sticks are done. Table 20 your all hot, joe, hot one, hug one, and roller are done. "  
>Dinah said without missing an order. The curls in her hair were starting to fall down do to the stress of keeping up with all the orders.<p>

"Something wrong Dinah?"

Dinah looked up to see C.B. holding a pile of plates.

"It's nothing just cooking you know." Dinah tried to fake a smile but was too tired to.

"Need some help?" C.B. asked.

Dinah looked up at him with hope in her eyes.

"Really, you'd do that for me?" Dinah said a little choked up.

"Sure would." C.B. answered.

Then sudden Dinah kissed C.B.'s cheek before giving him half her orders.

"Thank you so much C.B. I owe you one." Dinah said as she skated off to fill out her orders.

It took C.B. a while to get over the kiss, so he could help Dinah with her orders.

"Okay last order-" C.B. said to himself as he read the order. "One steak, black and blue."

C.B. took out one of the cookbooks to make the steak.

'Preheat oven to 450, chopped onions, salt, and pepper. Sounds easy enough.' C.B. said as he started putting the ingredients together.

Unknown to C.B. the ventilation blew some the pages.

'Next add 4 teaspoons of salt,3 bars of butter, and 2 bottles of PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE? Weird ,recipe. Then put oven on at 457 time for 14 minutes to shorten time put in on 987 for 7 minutes. '

"Table 12 your orders up." Dinah shouted.

'Finally, better check on C.B. and see how he is doing.'

"C.B. you're finished."

"We'll almost I just need to get the steak out of the oven."

The 2 walked into the then C.B. noticed that the pages of the cookbook were moving.

"Why are those pages moving?" C.B. said.

"Someone left the ventilation on silly." Dinah answered as she turned it off. "Well better check on that steak."

Then it hit C.B. the pages were turned while he was cooking making the dish.

"Dinah wait!" C.B. grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the stove.

"C.B. WHAT ARE YOU -"

Dinah was cut off by a flame like sound as the 2 turned around the stove was on fire.  
>"!"<p>

End flashback in a flashback.

"Do you have any idea how much I hate you right now?" Rusty said.

"Hey, give me a brake how was I supposed to know the ventilation was on; blame the guy who left it on." C.B. argued.

"Boys, enough, it was an accident it could've happened to any of us okay. The important thing is no one was hurt well except the shove.

"Yes Belle." C.B. and Rusty said in unison.

"Besides in a few weeks we'll probably be laughing about this." Belle said.

* * *

><p>End Flashback<p>

Rusty, Pearl, and Poppa laughed at the whole thing.

"Belle was right, we would be laughing about it." Rusty said.

"Wait, I remember the time Bella helped me when I got gum stuck to my hair." Pearl said.

* * *

><p>Flashback<p>

"OW,OW,OW, OWWWWWWW!"

"Hold still I almost got it." Buffy said trying to get the huge wad of gum out of Pearl's hair.

"How did that gum get in your hair anyway?" Dustin asked in his cockney accent.

"Some stupid kids were having a bubble gum blowing contest, honestly who the heck gives there kids that much gum?" Pearl said very angry that the ball of goo was still in her hair.

"Bet you wish you weren't a passenger train now huh Pearl." Flat-Top said getting a kick out of the situation.

"Stuff it Flat-Top or I'll shave what little hair you have left!" Pearl said.

"Geez, some people can't take a joke." Flat-Top said.

"*YAWN*What's with all the racket?" Belle said as she turned the corner.

"Pearl's got gum stuck to er hair." Buffy said still trying to pull the pink substance out of her hair.

"Is that it? Come on you two follow me." Belle told the 2 coaches.

Belle's Kitchen  
>Belle put a barber cape on Pearl and took out some stuff on her fridge: peanut butter, ice cubes, mayonnaise, and vegetable oil.<p>

"Your not putting that in my hair are you?" Pearl asked praying she wouldn't.

"Fraid so this is the only way to get it out without cutting it." Belle answered as she put the ingerdents in a blender and turned the thing making everything in it a puke/vomit like color.

"Uggh, it smells as bad as it looks." Buffy said as she covered her nose.

"Hey, we're using my blender how do you think I feel?" Belle said. "Okay Pearl here it comes."

Soon Pearl's pink face was turned a sour apple green, with the smell from the 'anti-gum stuff' and the vomitty look it had, it was a surprise Pearl didn't vomit.

"Okay now we just have to rinse it out."

Belle led Pearl to her sink as she washed the gum out of her hair.

*GASP*

Pearl gasped as she lifted her head up from the sink.

"I don't believe it that crud actually worked!" Buffy said as saw Pearl's wet hair.

Pearl placed her hand where the gum was to find it was not there anymore, Pearl then wrapped her arms around Bella in a hug.

"!" Pearl screamed.

"Your welcome, please stop hugging me, our getting my outfit soaked!" Belle said.

* * *

><p>End Flashback.<p>

Poppa chuckled "Yep, Belle was amazing, if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be a racer."

"Poppa do you mind telling us how you and Belle met, you never told us before." Rusty asked.

Poppa said as he told the story. "It was my first race I was the new guy in town and the coach I partnered up with broke her wheel the day before the race. I was looking everywhere for another coach they were either: with a partner already, told me I shouldn't had waited to the last minute, or they just didn't like racing. I almost lost hope until-"

* * *

><p>Flashback<p>

"RACE,ME?Sorry, I don't race what's the point anyway?" A coach said to the steam train.

"Well thanks for your time ma'am." A young Poppa McCoy said.

'Just great, my original coach broke her wheel, I can't find another one, and the race is tomorrow! What am I gonna do?' He thought to himself.

Suddenly he felt someone poke him in the back. He turned around to see a sleeping car around his age.

"Excuse me are you looking for a partner to race with?" She asked.

McCoy shock his head.

"Well look no further, Belle the Sleeping car at your service." She said.

"Belle?"

"Yep that's right."

"Why don't you have a partner already?"

Her expression changed to a sad one.

"Everyone says in too young to be racing and they keep telling me to go home." Belle answered.

McCoy knew how that felt, when he told others he was going to race they laughed at him and told him he wouldn't even make last place.

"Well Miss Belle, you can count on McCoy to be your partner." He said.

"Really?" Her voiced squeaked.

The Next Day

.GO.

Trains and their coaches were taking off everywhere. McCoy and Belle were passing everyone up sudden Belle felt someone kicked her.

"Ouch! Stop that!" Belle screamed.

It turned out to be another steam train and his coach.

"Leave her alone!" McCoy shouted at the two.

"Your right, I should kicking your butt."

The train said as he tried to punch McCoy only to miss, and have McCoy punch him in the face.

It was clear that they were the only trains near the finish line and only one could pass.

"You newbies ain't gonna make it." The coach said trying to kick Belle again.

"Oh yes we are."

Belle then stomped on the coaches foot causing her to uncouple her train so she can check her injuryed foot. As the train looked back at her he wasn't aware that he hit one of the obstcles in his way.

McCoy and Belle made to the finish line with cheers everywhere.

"I don't believe it we won." Belle said as she hugged McCoy.

"I know we won!"

* * *

><p>End Flashback<p>

"And from that day forward me and Belle were racing buddies til the end." Poppa McCoy said as he finished his story.

Pearl and Rusty were amazed be Poppa's story about his and Belle's first race.

"Wow, Belle really helped you on your first race." Rusty said.

"Don't forget Rusty, Belle helped you with your first race and made you race again."

* * *

><p>Flashback<p>

The Rockies were telling everyone how Poppa choose Rusty to be his replacement.

As soon as the news reached Greaseball and Electra they were furious.

"No he a'int he's not gonna race." Greaseball shouted.

"Who said?" Belle questioned.

"I said he a'int gonna race." Greaseball answered.

"But Poppa won a place in the finals, Poppa can't take way he's half-dead, chosen Rusty to go instead."

Soon everyone was arguing until they decided he would race. After all the fighting Rusty felt like he shouldn't have entered in the first place.

"Belle, I think this was a huge mistake." Suddenly Rusty felt his chin lifted up by Belle's hand.

"Rusty don't worry about a thing. Just believe in the Starlight Express and there is nothing you can't do, me and Poppa believe in you. You just need to believe in yourself."

What Belle said gave Rusty the hope that he actually needed.

"Beside you are way better than sparkle-butt and Slimeball any day of the week." Belle said with Rusty behind her.

'Sparkle-butt and Slimeball.' Rusty chuckled to himself.

* * *

><p>End flashback.<p>

"You're right Poppa; I don't think any of us will ever forget Belle."Rusty said.

"Of course we won't, she's been with us too long not to forget." Poppa said.

Poppa then pulled something out of his pocket.

"Poppa what is that." Rusty asked.

"These were Belle's chandler earrings, I want you to have one of them Rusty-." Poppa put one of the earrings in Rusty's hand as he put the other back in his pocket."- just in case you need something to remind you of Belle."

"Thank you Poppa." Rusty said as he turned to a grave stone and said "Bye Belle, til next time."

The three headed back to the train station. The gravestone Rusty addressed read: Here lies Belle the Sleeping Car a lovely Pullman with a heart of Gold! 19** - 1992.

* * *

><p>All the day trains were going home while the night trains were leaving to transport passengers.<p>

Rusty and Pearl were at the station that was only open during the day,so they watched as the moon and stars came out, as fireflies filled the night air.

Rusty still held on to the earring Poppa gave him.

"It is a lovely earring." Pearl said resting her head on Rusty's shoulder.

"Yeah it is." Rusty agreed." Wait a minute!"

Rusty was soon fooling with Pearl's hair.

"Rusty what are you doing?" Pearl questioned.

"Done!"He answered.

Pearl took out one of her mirrors to see that Belle's earring was on her ear now.

"Rusty your giving me Belle's earring?" Pearl said.

"Yeah, besides we're going to be together forever-" Rusty said as he held Pearl's hand making her blush."- plus it looks great on you."

"Thanks." Pearl said as she and Rusty snuggled under the blanket they had together.

* * *

><p>12:00 Midnight<p>

Rusty and Pearl were fast asleep; the corner of the blanket that covered Rusty was slowly falling off as he laid his head on Pearl's head.

*.SKSSKSKK.*

A skating sound was heard in the background suddenly two hands picked up the side of the blanket that was supposed to be covering Rusty on him. The figure stood up proudly she was a beautiful thing.

"Rusty, I miss you and everyone here, and you will all always be in my heart. Just believe like you always do." The figure whispered.

"Belle it's time to." Another figure appeared behind her, he somewhat looked like Rusty.

"Okay I think I said my goodbyes already." She looked back to see Rusty and Pearl smiling in their sleep.

Belle soon hooked up with the midnight train, soon to go into the sky with all the stars shining bright in the night with the Starlight Express by her side.

The End!


End file.
